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Studies in Sociology 

SOCIOLOGICAL MONOGRAPH NO. 11 



Vol. Ill MARCH 1918 No. 3 



EDITED BY EMORY S. BOGARDUS 
Department of Sociology, University of Southern California 



THE RUSSIANS IN 
LOS ANGELES 



BY 



LILLIAN SOKOLOFF. A.B. 



Published by the Southern California Sociological Society 

University of Southern California 

at the University of Southern California Press 

Los Angeles, California 






^ 



^ I 



The Russians in Los Angeles 

BY 
LILLIAN SOKOLOFF, A. B.* 



1. Introduction. There are approximately 3750 Russians in 
Los Angeles. Of this number, about 100 are Pravloslavni, or 
"followers of the true faith." They are nominally members of 
the Greek-Catholic Church in Russia, but actually, many are now 
free-thinkers. They are sometimes referred to in Los Angeles as 
non-sectarians. 

The remaining 3650 Russians in this city are sectarians. 
Because they constitute 97 per cent, of the Russian population of 
Los Angeles, they will be given the chief place in this monograph. 
It may be noted in passing that no Russian Jews are included. 
Only persons who belong to the Russian division of the Slavic race 
are discussed. Of the sectarians, 3300 are Molokans (milk- 
drinkers), 50 are Dukhobors (evil spirit fighters), and 250 are 
Subotniks (Judaized Russians). The Molokans, in turn, are com- 
posed of Priguni (jumpers) and Postoyani (steady) in the pro- 
portion of 3100 to 200. 

The first group of Molokans, who came here in 1905, settled 
around Bethlehem Institute on Vignes Street. When others came, 
a few bought homes along Clarence and Utah Streets. Then the 
settlement grew in the district situated between Boyle Avenue on 
the east and the Los Angeles River on the west, and between Aliso 
Street on the north and Seventh Street on the south. Recently 
there has been a new settlement made along what is known as Salt 
Lake Terrace several blocks east of the larger colony. On that street 
are located many of the somewhat better homes. In a hollow south 
of Stephenson Avenue and east of Mott Street, there is a group of 
about sixty houses occupied by Russians only. 



• Editor's Note: The author of this monograph waa graduated from the 
University of Southern California in 1915. This study was made as a phaise of 
the work in the Sociology seminar. 

1 



2. Sectarian Emigration from Russia. To understand the 
Russians in Los Angeles, it is necessary to consider briefly their 
liistorical backgrounds. During the reign of Alexis Michaelovitch, 
second ruler of the Romanoff family — 1645-1676 — Nicon, at that 
time patriarch of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church, investigated 
and decided to change the liturgy. While the ruling house accepted 
nis changes and formally adopted his type of worship as the state 
religion, there were many dissenters who would not submit to the 
dictates of the government in matters of religion. The dissenters 
were continually persecuted or banished, and were greatly dis- 
satisfied with the bureaucratic institutions, with the hypocrisy of 
the priesthood, and with the forms of their worship ; the numbers 
who sought other types of religion that would satisfy their deep 
religious feelings, constantly grew. Most of the dissenters were 
among the people living in that part of the country known as 
Great Russia. The government of Tambov became the centre of 
the activities of the sectarians, but soon sectarianism spread also 
to the governments of Koslov, Samara, Sartov, and Voronezh. 

Prominent among the religious sects that developed, were the 
Dukhobcrs, the Molokans, and the Subctniks. The last-mentioned 
are Russians who have embraced the Jewish faith. This result was 
not through influence exerted on the part of Jews, however, because 
the Jews do not have any form of mission work for the purpose 
of conversion to Judaism; nor were there any Jews living in that 
part of Russia where these religious sects developed. The Subot- 
niks embraced Judaism as a result of reading the Old Testament. 

The essence of the Dukhobor religion is a belief in the divinity 
of Christ, and the brotherhood of man. The Dukhobors do not 
believe in any earthly representative of God; they have no church 
leaders, and no icons or images. They do not have church cere- 
monies nor do they believe in saints as do the Greek Catholics. 
They are opposed to war and therefore to military service. Their 
religion forbids their indulging in the use of intoxicating liquors, 
and in smoking. 

The religion of the Molokans sprang from that of the 
Dukhobors. They call themselves Spiritual Christians, or New 
Israelites. The name "Molokan, derived from the word "moloko" 
which means milk, was first applied to them in 1765 by a religious 
sect in the Goveriiment of Tambov. This name was applied because 

-.2 



iUH .:• J8Bf7 



of the fact that the Molokans drink milk every day in the week, 
while the Greek Catholics abstain from it on Wednesdays and 
Fridays, which are fast days for them. 

The Molokans had no definite form of religion for many years. 
During the last years of the seventeenth century, two highly 
educated men, Skovoroda and Tveritinoff, had come under the 
influence of the teachings of Luther, Calvin, and other European 
reformers. These men then preached reform among the dissenters 
of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church. They thus paved the way 
for other reformers. For about one hundred years, the Molokans 
were unmolested by the governmental authorities. Russia was 
anxious to people her Caucasus region with Russians, therefore 
she exiled many of the dissenters to that locality. Of all the places 
of exile, the last mentioned was found to be very desirable by the 
dissenters and many went there of their free will. Lukian Sokoloff 
was instrumental in getting many thousands of the liberated serfs 
to go to the Caucasus region. Between thirty and forty thousand 
of the Dukhobors, Subotniks, and Molokans migrated there. The 
men were exempted from service in the army. This privilege was 
a great boon to them because their religion forbids their partaking 
in any form of militarism. There were between sixty and seventy 
thousand of the sectarians living in the Caucasus district in 1875. 
For a while the conditions there were the best that the sectarians 
had yet known. A number of them prospered and became wealthy, 
but the majority remained poor. Their occupation was chiefly 
cultivation of the soil. A great number were engaged in making 
butter and cheese, which were sent to Russia. Still others were 
petty shopkeepers, and teamsters. 

It was not long, however, before the Russian government again 
began to oppress the sectarians in various ways. The heavy 
taxation of their land proved to be a greater burden than they 
could possibly bear. They were again compelled to serve in the 
army. Some of the more educated among them foresaw disastrous 
times because of inevitable wars in which Russia was to engage. 
They therefore began to consider the advisability of emigrating 
from their country. It is well known that of the emigrants from 
Russia up to the end of the last century, the greatest number 
were Jews and a smaller per cent were Poles, but scarcely any 
Russians proper. In the last two years of the nineteenth century, 



many of the Dukhobors left the Caucasus region and went to 
Western Canada where several thousands now live. 

The beginning of the Russo-Japanese War inaugurated a new 
era of persecutions for the sectarians in southeastern Russia. They 
were compelled to go to war. Though many were capable of 
occupying high military positions, they were prevented from so 
doing and were put to the most menial work. They also suffered 
all kinds of insults at the instigation of government officials. They 
were not permitted to go anywhere without passports — and pass- 
ports were not granted them. It is therefore not surprising that 
these people became disgusted with conditions such as they experi- 
enced, and longed to leave the country. 

The Dukhobors in Canada wrote to their friends in Russia, who 
came in large numbers to Canada. Among these were several 
Molokans who at first visited the Dukhobors, but not finding Canada 
inviting, they traveled along the Pacific Coast stopping at many 
places until they reached Los Angeles. They were favorably 
impressed by this city, and beginning with 1905, they began to come 
and continued to do so until the outbreak of the European War. 

A very small number of the Russians left their families behind 
when they came here. Those who did so, usually sent for them in 
a short while. There are approximately the same number of each 
sex here. 

3, An Investigation of Fifty Families. In 1915, the writer 
personally made a study of conditions of fifty Molokan families 
in the Russian community in Los Angeles and has obtained what 
seems valuable information concerning the life of these people. It 
may be said that the Molckans differ little among themselves in 
their personal characteristics, in their mode of living and thinking, 
and in their occupations and earnings. It is safe to assume that 
the fifty families, being about seven per cent of the total number 
of Russians who are living in this city, are representative of the 
Russian population of Los Angeles. 

It is a well known fact that the Russians have large families. 
The fifty families in question may not indicate that the number 
per family is unusually large, but it should be remembered that 
many of the parents are young and that a number were recently 

4 



married. The total number of persons in the fifty families was 
270 ; the average number per family was 5.4. 



TABLE I. 
The Number of Families and the Number of Rooms Each Family 

Occupies : 

Number of families 17 14 17 2 

Number of rooms per family 2 3 4 5 

The next item is the number of persons, male and female, in 
each family, earning money. From a careful study of the 
facts, it may be said that wherever there is a possibility, the 
wife is earning. In the families consisting of three persons, few 
of the wives are earning as they are invariably obliged to take 
care of the child. In the families consisting of four or more 
members, where there is someone to take care of the very small 
child or children, the wife is usually employed. Of the thirty-three 
women who were working, thirty were wives and only three were 
daughters. With little variation, this status is the prevailing con- 
dition among the Russians, for as soon as a girl is of working age, 
she marries and then joins the married women who are earning. 

The weekly earnings of the males ranged in 1915 from three 
dollars per week, in the case of a young boy, to twenty-three dollars. 
The greatest number earned in 1915 thirteen and a half dollars a 
week. The weekly earnings of the females ranged from four 
dollars per week to ten dollars. The greatest number earned six 
dollars a week. Of the fifty families, there were only six with a 
steady income. All the others suffered from periods of unemploy- 
ment. At the present time, the Russians demand and receive the 
same standard of wages that is received by any other nationality. 
As with other nationalities, the standard of living rises with the 
improvement of material conditions. 

A feature peculiar to the Russians is that a large per cent 
of them own their homes. Though their earnings were small, the 
investment in a home was a means of saving for them; they are 
all eager to save. Of the fifty families investigated, twenty-six 
owned their homes. The values of these homes ranged from $800 
to $4,000. 

5 



TABLE II. 
The Number of Faviilies Owning Homes and Value of the Property i7i 1915: 

to $1300 to $1900 to $2300 to 



Value of Homes ^^^00 $1800 $2200 $4000 

Number of families owning homes.... 6 7 8 5 

Total value of homes $48,600.00 

Average value of homes 1,869.23 

Total debt on homes 14,400.00 

Average debt on homes 592.30 

Total equity on homes 33,200.00 

Average equity on homes 1,276.92 

Maximum equity 2,500.00 

Minimum equity 400.00 

In the last few years, the Russians have developed new ideas 
regarding their desires for the future. They no longer buy homes 
here for they do not intend to remain in this city permanently. 
Almost all the Russians who own their homes, do not occupy any 
more rooms than are absolutely necessary in order to comply with 
the housing laws. The remaining rooms they rent to others. In 
almost all cases, there are two or three families occupying one house. 
Those who rent rooms also use no more rooms than are absolutely 
required by the housing laws. The habitations of nearly all are 
poorly furnished. The floors are bare, the furniture is of the cheap- 
est kind, and consists of beds, of which there are usually two in each 
room, except the kitchen, where there is a table and a few chairs. 
These people are not only opposed to icons, but they carry the idea 
further and have no pictures of any kind on the walls. There is no 
attempt to make the surroundings esthetic or pleasant. A home is 
apparently looked upon as a place of shelter only. In spite, how- 
ever, of crowded conditions (as the total number of persons in fifty 
families was 270 and the number of rooms for the fifty families was 
154, the average number of persons per room was 1.75), the habi- 
tations are fairly clean. 

4. Occupations. Of all the Russians in this city, about 75 
per cent of the working men were employed in lumber yards up 
to the outbreak of the war. Then the majority entered the ship- 
building industry. About 10 per cent own and drive their own 
teams, and work by the day in hauling produce and other com- 
modities. About 2 per cent are engaged in running little grocery 
stores and butcher shops, which are patronized by their own people. 
The remainder — about 13 per cent — are employed in various ways, 

6 



e. g., in the metal trades, automobile shops, planing mills, fruit 
canneries. The last-mentioned occupations are followed by the 
younger men of the community, who have had some schooling but 
who left school as soon as the law permitted them to do so. 

It is the usual thing among the Russians for the married 
women to work. The young women are employed chiefly in 
laundries. Girls who have attended school and have learned the 
English language, work in the biscuit factories which are in the 
neighborhood. A small number of girls work in a candy factory 
on Utah Street. The older women work in fruit canneries or do 
housework by the day. Though many of the girls who have been 
to school for several years, could do other work and perhaps earn 
more money, the parents are anxious to have them work near 
home and among their own people. Clerking or office work might 
cause the girls to become "Americanized" quickly and to this the 
older people object. 

5. Religion. As stated at the beginning of this monograph, 
the religion of the Molokans sprang from that of the Dukhobors. 
Both these sects are opposed to war. They believe in no earthly 
representatives of God. The Molokans have no ministers or church 
dignitaries of any kind. They have no rules or traditions as to 
who shall be their religious advisers. Their pastors are not ordained, 
do not receive compensation, and are not dependent upon the 
approval of the community. Their authority prevails only at prayer 
meetings, marriage ceremonies, and funeral services. It may be 
said that the Molokan religion has little definite form. It is sys- 
temless. Many of its phases are exceedingly crude. It is incoherent 
and inconsistent. It prohibits the use of intoxicating liquors and 
smoking. Like the orthodox Jews, the Molokans abstain from eating 
pork and are supposed to slaughter their beef in a certain manner. 

They came to this country, as other races before them had 
come, to seek a haven where they could enjoy religious freedom. 
In the course of time a change has come in their attitude toward 
religion. Originally, religion was considered the chief and only 
end of life. Now they are beginning to consider it more as a means 
than an end. They are seeking other goals besides religious free- 
dom, namely, political, economic and social freedom. 



The Molokans are divided into two groups, Postoyani (steady) 
and Priguni (jumpers). The Postoyani have drifted very little 
from the Greek-Catholie Church. They have done away with 
church dignitaries and icons, but keep the holidays as do the Greek- 
Catholics. But the Priguni have entirely abolished the forms of 
service as well as the holidays of the Greek-Catholic Church. They 
celebrate the same holidays as do the Jews according to the Old 
Testament, having added only that of the birth of Christ, whom 
they consider their Saviour. 

Both the Postoyani and Priguni consider any clean room a fit 
place for worship. In the center of the prayer room, there is a 
table; around the room and near the walls are benches. The men 
are seated at the right from the entrance and the women at the left. 

There are at present seven churches in the Russian settlement. 
These are simply very large rooms in which church services are 
conducted. During holidays, some private homes are also used 
for religious services. The Priguni conduct their prayers in a 
unique manner. All pray aloud for some time, until one feels that 
the "spirit" has entered into him, when in a trance-like manner 
he comes to the center of the place of worship. The praying goes 
on in a sing-song loud tone of voice until one by one, every person 
feels the "spirit" within him. 

Among these sectarians, funeral services are occasions of much 
prayer and many gatherings. The members of the family of the 
deceased take turns in wailing and lamentation in a sort of monot- 
onous, rhythmic fashion, speaking of the good deeds and excellent 
personal traits of the deceased. These services usually last for a 
day or two, until the burial takes place. 

6. Social Life. The social and religious life of these people 
are closely related. It is their religion that has kept them 
together. It was because of their religion that they were persecuted, 
exiled, and compelled to live together in Russia. When they 
decided to emigrate, they came here and settled in this city, close 
together. Almost all the Molokans in this city are related by blood 
or marriage. 

They are naturally clannish because of their comparatively 
recent immigration and because of ignorance of the English 

8 



language. Their mutual interest in each other keeps them together. 
Among their admirable traits, that of mutual self-help is indeed 
commendable. Very few apply for public charity. If a family 
or individual among them is in straightened circumstances, the 
community does all it possibly can to assist. Local charity records 
show that application for aid has been made by only a few Russians. 
The Russians consider it a great disgrace to apply for charity, no 
matter how needy they may be. 

Though the Molokans have no acknowledged leaders in their 
community, the older people give instructions; they are usually 
obeyed. The old people are highly respected, both by their children 
and grandchildren. As long as the grandfather lives, he is usually 
head of the family in all affairs. Though he be strong and healthy, 
a Russian usually retires from the active life of earning money 
when he is about fifty. His children support him. Therefore, it 
is not unusual to see able-bodied, comparatively young-looking 
men, sitting around at home or visiting together. Recently, how- 
ever, many of the older men have been working in the shipyards. 

The Molokans usually marry very young. Girls of sixteen and 
seventeen and boys of eighteen, are considered of marriageable age. 
Th« parents arrange the marriages of their children. The young 
bride always goes to live with her husband's people. Because she 
works and contributes the earnings to the family exchequer, it is 
customary for her husband's people to compensate her parents for 
depriving them of an assistant in the form of a worker before she 
has paid back to her parents part of the cost of rearing her to a 
marriagable age. This practice is looked upon by the American 
authorities as a form of buying and selling girls. But the 
Molokans are very indignant at such a suggestion. In all earnest- 
ness, they consider the custom a justifiable practice. 

The form of the marriage ceremony is as follows : The parents 
of the young man bless the groom and grant their permission for 
his marriage. The young man then goes to the house of the bride- 
to-be, where the guests are gathered, all praying. After praying, 
the bride 's father says to the groom, ' ' I give you my daughter as 
wife. ' ' Whereupon mutual consent is requested and each promises 
his faithful love. 

9 



The birthrate is very high among the Molokans but infant 
mortality is also very high. Of the children brought here in infancy, 
a greater per cent survived than of those who are born here. 

7. Education and Recreation. A very small number of the 
Molckans who migrated here were literate when they came. This 
condition was doubtless due to the fact that their economic status 
was very low. 

The young go to school and learn eagerly. In the Utah Street 
School, where the writer has been engaged in teaching for four 
years, there are about 1,000 children. About forty per cent of 
them are Russian Molokans. These compare very well in their 
studies with the other nationalities attending this school. It is to 
be regretted that the Russians do not allow their children to remain 
in school any longer than the law requires them to stay. No matter 
how eager the boys and girls are for a higher education, they are 
taken out of school and sent to work at the age of fifteen. When 
they finish the eighth grade, they are not sent to the high school. 
In the past year, about ten completed the eighth grade of the 
elementary school on Utah Street before they were fifteen years of 
age. 

Besides the day school, there is also a night school in the Utah 
Street District. This is largely attended by Russians, the greater 
number of whom are boys and girls who have had little or no 
schooling. A few men also attend, but unfortunately, none of the 
women, though several attempts have been made to induce the 
women to come. 

Two attempts have been made to have the Russian language 
taught to the young and adults by teachers which the Russians them- 
selves secured. Several years ago, the Molokans obtained permis- 
sion from the Board of Education to use two of the class-rooms 
at the Utah Street School from three to five o'clock daily. The 
classes were conducted by a man and woman who were paid by 
the community. The instructors were not Molokans but native 
Russians who possessed a good education. After several months, 
the school was discontinued. Last year, another attempt was made 
to have a Russian school conducted in one of the private homes 
but this experiment was short-lived. 

10 



The night school in the Russian neighborhood is well attended 
by little boys and girls who would otherwise be on the streets. 
They come and play various games in the school rooms, directed by 
a teacher ; or en the playground, which is well lighted and has an 
attendant in charge. 

The Y. W. C. A. maintains a Club house on Utah Street to 
which a number of girls are attracted. 

There is little time for many of the Russian children to play. 
Almost all the older children who attend school have many home 
duties. As both the parents are working, the boys and girls take 
care of the younger children after school. During school hours, 
the small children are placed in the school nursery of the Utah 
Street School, which has two trained nurses in attendance. Besides 
taking care of the little brothers and sisters, the boys and girls 
prepare the meals for the family and perform various other house 
duties. 

If any children do have a chance for recreation, they eagerly 
fall into playing like other normal children. The older people 
have very few forms of amusements. They do not have outings like 
other nationalities. Their gatherings are usually at the church 
or in the homes for the purpose of prayer. During holidays, there 
is much feasting in the homes and churches. Weddings, christen- 
ings, and funerals are occasions for gathering and feasting. 

During the years that these people have lived in Los Angele? 
they have learned that the principal of the school to whom they 
send their children, is their sincere friend. Therefore, they have 
great confidence in her and come to the school for advice concern- 
ing their most intimate affairs. As an interpreter between these 
people and the principal, the writer has had opportunity to 
become well acquainted with them and their hopes and ideals. 
True Americanism is being interpreted to the Russians in a 
splendid way by the principal. Through her, their faith in 
America is steadied and strengthened. 

8. Assimilation and Amalgamation. Owing to the fact that 
the Molokans live in a community by themselves, the adults among 
them have not adopted American customs. Their religion, too, 
prevents them from becoming Americanized. Intermarriage with 

11 



other racial representatives is strictly forbidden. Thus far, of all 
the Molokans here, six girls have married out of their own religion ; 
these have been disowned by their parents and ostracized by the 
community. 

Because the Molokans are opposed to war or militarism in any 
form, they refuse to become naturalized. Of the members of the 
fifty families which were specially studied, none of those eligible 
to naturalization have taken advantage of the privilege. They 
state that one of the chief causes for leaving their native land was 
their opposition to war. But since they are subject to being drafted 
into military service in the event of war in tliis country, they do 
not want to become naturalized. Though many of them have 
declared their intention to become American citizens by applying 
for their first papers, none have become fully naturalized. During 
the war none were drafted and none enlisted. Very few bought 
liberty bonds as that procedure according to their ideas, meant 
supporting war. However, they voluntarily made substantial 
contributions to the Red Cross. Each head of a family gave from 
$5 to $10. 

The narrow sphere of their activities and occupations causes 
the adults of the community to remain ignorant of American 
customs. There are a few things which they have of necessity 
learned. But the vast differences between the customs and laws 
in Russia and in the United States are understood by only a few. 
The m,ajority of them have only a vague idea of the American 
conception of liberty, and a number of them are disappointed 
when they find it is not the same as their conception. This disap- 
pointment, however, does not result in lawlessness. When told 
that the law requires the children to stay in school till they are of 
a certain age, the parents naturally submit, but remark that it is a 
strange law that does not permit the parents to have entire control 
of their children. 

The younger element among the Molokans, on the other hand, 
are rapidly becoming Americanized. The effective agency in this 
particular is naturally the public school. The children learn eagerly 
and rapidly. Considering that they hear English spoken only in 
school, we may conclude that they acquire the language quickly. 

12 



In some instances, the young who earn and they who are in 
contact with liberal ideas begin to show signs of revolt against the 
customs of their elders. This results in real tragedies in the homes. 
It is not always the best American traits that the young foreigners 
acquire. When the young men of the Molokan community began 
to frequent saloons and other undesirable places there was a great 
disturbance in the community. Above everything else that the 
Molokans in Los Angeles are grieved over, is the fact that the young 
are drifting away from parental authority. They see in this 
tendency the destruction of their most cherished ideals. 

The recent tendency on the part of the girls to drift from the 
old customs may be said to be desirable from a liberal standpoint. 
The girls object to being "married off" to young men simply 
because the parents are satisfied with the arrangement. They show 
desires for better things in life than their mothers have experienced. 
They also show the natural trait of girls in their desires for pretty 
clothes. They are no longer contented to wear the same style of 
costumes they had worn in Russia ; they do not wish to be distin- 
guished by their peculiar style of dress. They also seek to go to 
dances or moving picture shows. This desire is considered most 
outrageous by the elders in the community. Though many of the 
young people desire the enjoyments of youth which are mentioned 
above, very few dare to indulge in them. And here the tragedy 
comes in. The older element in the community considers this 
drifting away of the young from old traditions, the result of living 
under modern city conditions. Therefore their most ardent desire 
and sole hope is to leave the city and establish themselves upon 
the soil. With very few exceptions, the Molokans are looking 
forward to the time when they can leave the city. Many have 
already done so. Between three and four hundred families (per- 
haps 2,000 individuals) have left Los Angeles within the last six 
years and have gone to other parts of the country where they have 
bought land. Many of them went to Mexico ; others went to New 
Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon; a few others to 
different parts of this state, but in every instance away from cities. 
The complete statistics of the fifty families indicates very clearly 
that within the last eight years, few of those who came here have 
bought their homes. They are now determined not to remain in 

IS 



the city permanently and therefore do not buy homes as they 
once did. 

9. Conclusions. The Molokans in this city are frequently 
referred to as Russian peasants. The writer was born in Russia 
and as a child lived among the peasants in that part of the country 
known as "Little Russia," or the Ukraine, which comprises several 
governments in the southern part of European Russia. The 
peasants there are indeed on a very low plane of civilization. 
Almost all of them are illiterate and ignorant. Their mode of 
living, their customs and habits are crude. But the Russians in this 
city belong to a distinctly higher class. By coming in contact with 
the Molokans, one will soon realize the difference. 

During four years of teaching at the Utah Street School, at 
which almost all the Russian children attend, the writer has had 
occasion to come in close contact with the adults. It is true that they 
are illiterate in a great majority of cases, but they are of that class 
vrhich has had the courage to suffer for an ideal. They have been 
persecuted at the hands of the Russian Government and have 
suffered many cruelties and hardships because of their religious 
convictions. Their religion may be considered crude and narrow 
in many instances, but it can not be denied that these people have 
high moral standards. Along the way on the march toward civ- 
ilization, it is the people who have the courage to suffer for what 
they considered right who have risen above those who merely 
drifted. So it is that these dissenters from the Russian state church 
have also risen far above the average Russian peasants. 

In Russia they learned through bitter experience that laws 
were for the benefit of the leaders and the detriment of the masses. 
They look forward to just laws and are anxious to abide by them in 
this country. They desire law but not lawlessness, such as they 
experienced in Russia. • 

On the whole, it may be said that the Russians in this city 
are a quiet, law-abiding people. They are not given to any of the 
vices or crimes as a class, that are found among other nationalities. 
There are records of only several cases of arrests of Russian men 
for drinking. Thus far there have not been any eases of arrests 
of women for any misconduct or vice. A number of small boys 
have been known to get into trouble because of petty larceny, and 

14 



have been detained in the Juvenile Hall. If anything of this sort 
occurs, the entire neighborhood is generally astir. The parents 
are greatly alarmed and are ready to follow advice that M^ould 
prevent recurrence of such trouble. Like other people of meagre 
income, they send the boys to sell newspapers in the business 
sections of this city. The freedom in the handling of money, to 
which these boys are not accustomed, and the dazzle of the things 
that they see have a very bad influence over those who go. The 
parents, therefore, do their utmost to keep them away, if they find 
that the effect is harmful. 

It is gratifying to say that by far the greater number of older 
boys and all girls are of splendid character. The affectionate care 
which these boys and girls give the younger brothers and sisters, 
is most inspiring. They distinguish themselves in almost all 
branches of elementary school work and would undoubtedly do 
likewise in the higher branches of education, were they given an 
opportunity to pursue them. Above everything else in school, the 
clean m.orals of the growing children can not be spoken of too 
highly. If there is any psychical characteristic that can be said 
to be more predominant than any other among these children, it 
is that of stubborness. When rightly directed, this trait becomes 
an asset. 

The children of the Russians have undergone a remarkable 
change in the last three years. They were in the habit of conversing 
among themselves only in Russian. Now they always speak English. 
The girls formerly came to school dressed in their national mode 
of attire with bright-colored or black lace shawls over their heads. 
In the summer, they wore white shawls made of muslin and 
embroidered in the Russian cross-stitch of red and black embroider- 
ing thread, edged with lace. There was scarcely ever a girl who 
was seen with her head uncovered. Nov/, however, all this situa- 
tion is changed. All of the girls come bareheaded and dressed like 
American children. They pride themselves in not being different 
from other children in their manner of dress. If they are asked 
to put on their Russian costumes for any occasion, they do not 
want to do it because, as they say, they are ashamed to be seen 
on the street other than as American children. They are confiding 
and affectionate and one feels that with proper environment, they 
will grow up to be splendid men and women. 

15 



There is this to be added, however, that judging from the 
desire of the older element in the community, there is scarcely a 
chance of many Russians remaining in Los Angeles. Everywhere 
among them one learns that they are here temporarily, and that 
they are in constant hope of going out upon the land where they 
wish to establish themselves permanently. In either case, whether 
those growing up remain here or move out into rural districts, 
there seems to be no reason to think that the Russians will ever 
be a serious problem to this city. In view of their excellent 
personal characteristics and the hope that they will adopt the 
best of our American customs, we may look forward to seeing 
them develop into desirable American citizens. Much, however, is 
to be done in improving their material circumstances, in bringing 
about better living conditions, and in giving them the best ideals 
that we can offer them. 



18 



STUDIES IN SOCIOLOGY 

Sociological Monographs 

No. 1. * ' Legal Training for Social Workers, ' ' by Harry J, McClean. 
Sept., 1916. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 

No. 2. "Causes of Fatal Accidents on Highways," by William 
Smith, Dec, 1916. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 

No. 3. "Causes of Truancy Among Girls," by Inez D. Dunham, 
March, 1917. Pp. 14. Fifteen cents. 

No. 4. "Leading Sociological Books Published in 1916," by 
Emory S. Bogardus, May, 1917. Pp. 20. Twenty cents. 

No. 5. "The Teaching of Sociology in High Schools," by Theron 
Freese, Sept., 1917. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 

• No. 6. "Causes of Truancy Among Boys," by Ernest J. Liekley, 
Oct., 1917. Pp. 12. Fifteen cents. 

No. 7. "Social Thought in the Current Short Story," by Elva B. 
Murray, Feb., 1918. Pp. 12. Fifteen cents. 

No. 8. "Leading Sociological Books Published in 1917," by Emory 
S. Bogardus, May, 1918. Pp. 24. Twenty-five cents. 

No. 9. "Social Work as a Profession in Los Angeles," by Mary 
Chaffee, Oct., 1918. Pp. 12. Fifteen cents. 

No. 10. "Social Thought in American Fiction," (1910-1917), by 
Hazel Wilkinson, Dec, 1918. Pp. 24. Twenty-five cents. 

No. 11. "The Russians in Los Angeles," by Lillian Sokoloff, 
March, 1919. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 

Address communications to the Secretary, The Sociological Society, 
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif. 



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